Overview
- Williams suffered a fractured left fibula and a dislocated left ankle during the Oct. 25 game and underwent successful surgery on Oct. 28 at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery, the team said.
- The Thunder announced Williams will be re-evaluated before the end of the 2026–27 regular season but did not give a return timetable, keeping his playoff availability uncertain.
- Guard Cason Wallace tore the labrum in his left shoulder in the same Oct. 25 game, is expected to miss months and is scheduled for surgery, further hollowing OKC’s backcourt.
- Oklahoma City, already without Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso and others, lost 120–96 to the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 29 — its first defeat — as rookies and two-way players were pressed into larger roles.
- The injuries sharpen a bigger risk to the Thunder’s title outlook because Williams is a key two-way creator with a recent history of missed time, forcing GM Sam Presti’s depth-building and young players to shoulder immediate pressure.